The other day I was in the car listening to Billy Idol on the radio singing about the rebel yell. According to Mr. Idol it goes something like this:
“More! More! More!”
The definition of a rebel is a person who rises in opposition or armed resistance against an established government or ruler, but when it comes down to it I think that Mr. Idol has made a very strong and concise point. A rebel is not just someone who is in opposition, it’s a person who wants more than what they have been given and will buck against the structures that are in place in order to get it.
There is a reason that we relate to the characters in movies, tv shows, and books who are a part of a rebellion. There is a reason that we are rooting for the underdog who is going against the system in order to get more, be it food, freedom, money, basic human rights, love, fast food, paperclips, etc. We are on their team because we want more.
I’ve been rebellious for a long time. My heart has made its desires known to my actions, who seem more than willing to go along with it, and my brain usually stays out of it long enough for me to get myself into trouble.
It’s everywhere in me, this want for more than what I’ve been given. I want second helpings because I want more than the amount of food that was given to me. Consequently I gain weight. When I was underage I wanted to drink alcohol and made it happen. Consequently I was the most obnoxious girl at the police station the night I got arrested, partly because I didn’t take it seriously and partly because I was still buzzed. I want more sleep so I keep hitting snooze on my alarm. Consequently I don’t have enough time to get ready and am late for work.
And even deeper down I find myself rebelling. God put certain structures in place for us to keep our hearts safe and protected, to be in a place of blessing. All it takes is listening to Him and doing what He asks. Maybe it is spending time every morning reading the word, or the kind of life decision that would lead someone to become a full time missionary. It could be adhering to His law in simple ways (don’t hate, don’t kill, don’t steal). It could be convictions that the Spirit has given you particularly, a way that God wants you to approach an area of your life. He guides us in these ways and more so that we can experience the contentment of being led by Him and the blessings that He has timed perfectly.
Conceptually I love this. You would never know that in my day to day life. Instead of choosing to bow my heart down most mornings seem to start with a riotous battle cry of “MORE!” What’s worse is that I still know what is better than letting myself go into this rebellion. Do I care? Not usually.
I am included in this culture where the idea of structure is confused with oppression. Being given guidelines and rules to keep us safe is not the same as being kept from enjoying life. God is not withholding just because I don’t have what I want when I want it.
Dirty Sean 